If Roman Abramovich had ever wanted a 90-minute lesson in all that is great about the FA Cup, then that is exactly what he got at Vicarage Road.
His multi-million pound squad teetered on the precipice of an embarrassing FA Cup third round fall against cash-strapped opponents who were not given a realistic chance of victory before kick-off.
On paper, Chelsea and Watford are now light-years apart but on the bog of a pitch at Vicarage Road, they were true equals, with the First Division strugglers battling to the final whistle to complete a memorable upset.
Ray Lewington's side even took the lead twice in an action-packed first-half, fortuitously with Heidar Helguson's header as the ball did not cross the line and then deservedly through Gavin Mahon's determination.
That Chelsea survived for a replay, with Eidur Gudjohnsen's penalty and Frank Lampard's strike levelling the scoreline on each occasion, was mainly due to the
backbone installed into this Chelsea side by Claudio Ranieri.
But while Chelsea therefore live to fight another day, it was Watford who emerged with all the true credit, as well as a financial windfall, from this titanic tussle.
They had luck and the pitch conditions on their side, but they oozed guts and gusto as they took the game valiantly to their celebrated opponents.
At least one notorious ingredient for an upset had been there from the off - a good, old-fashioned bog of a pitch.
Watford certainly lived up to the valiant underdog role in immediately piling pressure on Chelsea as they seized a fifth-minute lead, albeit due to a large slice of good fortune.
After Paul Devlin had shown the persistence to reach the byline, he cut the ball back to Neal Ardley and his deep cross was met by Helguson.
The striker's looping header dropped just over the head of Neil Sullivan and struck the post but even though replays showed the ball never crossed the line, referee Alan Wiley awarded a goal after consulting his assistant, Dave Bryan.
Watford were now rampant. Devlin was tormenting Celestine Babayaro, Micah Hyde headed just over and Paolo Vernazza's shot was cleared off the line by Marcel Desailly after an error by Sullivan.
Chelsea were rattled but at least showed the composure to strike back as Jesper Gronkjaer, racing onto Adrian Mutu's through-ball, survived one tackle but went down as he took the ball past Lenny Pidgeley to win a penalty.
Gudjohnsen stepped up to roll the ball past the Watford keeper, ironically on loan from Chelsea, but only a minute had elapsed before Lewington's side were back ahead.
Marcus Gayle headed a deep free-kick across goal and Mahon just won the contest to reach the ball first as he headed it past Sullivan.
That left several Chelsea players arguing with each other, with John Terry's composure certainly missed from their defensive ranks.
However, they got their act together again and after Lampard beat Pidgeley from the edge of the penalty area just before half-time, only a mis-hit by Gudjohnsen from close-range prevented them seizing an interval lead.
Watford continued to press after the restart as Micah Hyde's scooped shot was saved by Sullivan, Mahon's penalty claims were turned down after he was stopped in his tracks by Gallas and Lee Cook placed a free-kick just over the bar.
Lewington introduced Danny Webber with 13 minutes left and he was only denied a memorable late winner by Sullivan's reflexes.
Chelsea, meanwhile, had their own late chances, with Pidgeley doing superbly to save Gronkjaer's effort and then tip Makekele's free-kick around the post.
However, Watford had done more than enough to earn the financial windfall of a replay at Stamford Bridge and Lewington's side left the pitch to a richly-deserved standing ovation.
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